inspector57

I'm not a pest control guy, but that looks like a VERY large colony. I would be looking for lots of hidden damage. Is a soil termiticide pretreatment not required in your area?

Excellent article, thanks for posting it.

Water is a by product of combustion of LP and natural gas. Low efficiency units send the moisture out the vent stack (thus the vapor cloud during cold weather) while high efficiency (Condensing Furnaces) cool the discharge gas to the point that moisture condenses out and is drained away instead of going out the vent pipe.

Home Inspector Pro has a mobile app. I use it on an iPad mini but they it works on my Android phone also. For my purposes, I complete 90% on site then do the rest once I get home but it I understand it is possible to do the complete inspection on the Android or PC mobile device.

If that is actually connected to the drain it is wrong on many levels. There must be an indirect connection. connecting directly to the sewer like that can leak methane into the house. Not as bad as an a/c condensate since it would not be in the environmental air, but still wrong. Also, that is an improper connection to the sewer line, not a fitting, just drilled into the line, maybe the plumbers among us can give you chapter and verse.

Anyone have documented statistics about the effectiveness of AFCI devices? I know it is hard to prove that a fire didn't happen but I would think that after a decade or more of devices being required that there would be some sort of study proving that these expensive devices are or are not really doing the job.

So do you routinely recommend upgrading standard breakers for AFCI breakers? I know there are continual advancements in technology but where do you draw the line in recommending replacements. Leaving the recalled item question, is there anything inherently unsafe about the older generation of AFCI breakers or is it a case of safe, safer, safest?

Think about worst case scenario. The unit fails to ignite and dumps flammable fuel out the exhaust as it purges. Not something to dump onto an electrical appliance. Also aren't gas exhaust fumes slightly corrosive?

Push Piers or Pressed Pilings likely are cheaper, just concrete. Why wouldn't he prefer to make more money? Do it like the engineer said, unless he has a "too" close relationship to the contractor.

Must go by manufacturers specs. That side of the coil can never be cleaned, even if allowed. Just a dumb installation. As for bad things that can happen, the compressor is going to cook and have a short life span if it gets over 85-90 degrees there. Around here it might last 5 years if your lucky.

Notice how the age of homes in the north vs south closely mirrors the common availability of air conditioning. Neat chart.

Check your humidity levels. Likely a free standing dehumidifier will be needed depending on your climate. If it your temperatures are moderate so that the a/c is not running most of the time and you have high humidity, you need to dry out the air. Mold has to have food and water to survive in our homes. Since your house is made from wood, the only controllable variable is moisture. Your dishwasher, cooking, and even the refrigerator will produce enough to cause mold to thrive in a closed room. I'm betting you have a water leak or an opening to a crawl space or other moisture source though.

No. Also, retaining walls, fences, etc. are not part of the state mandated SOP. But there will be someone that will see the required insurance for home inspectors and will try to tag us.

I agree, looks like asbestos on at least parts of the system. On the plus side, in slab ducts were a dumb idea the day they were installed and need to be replaced. Seal it off on both ends and the asbestos won't hurt anyone until they bulldoze the house.

I still call it out either way but a simple and quick (although not 100% safe, reliable, or recommended for documentation) is to touch the hood with your hand while NOT touching any other ground and testing with the non-contact tester. If you still get a voltage indication it is hot. If there is no indication of voltage then it is not bonded and you are just picking up induced voltage, not a direct connection. Again, just a quick and dirty indication, not documentation.

I would not buy a house with aluminum wire unless I planned to remove it and replace with copper. There will always be a stigma attached to aluminum wire if and when a house is sold again even if the safety issues are dealt with sufficiently. I have never seen a house with aluminum wire that has been upgraded completely. It seems they always do it wrong or incompletely.

Yes, it is a contaminant even if it is not flammable... but then what if it is flammable?

HIP Home Inspector Pro.

Agreed, Hooey. The guy is trying hard but does not have sufficient knowledge or tools to do the job that is needed.

I think you are over thinking the issue. If it quits working properly due to age or wear then fix or replace. It is not a code issue.

This really becomes an issue if the panel needs to be replaced (such as having a Federal Pacific or Zinsco panel. Around here no one moves them just to comply with the newer code but if the panel is totally replaced there is no option except to comply with the newer code. It is very common here to move it from the inside of a closet to the outside but only when replacing the panel.

I feel like the Lone Ranger here. I request that the client give me a 2-3 hour head start (depending on the size of the house. I like being finished with the inspection before they arrive. I then give them a walk and talk tour around the house discussing the findings. I inspect faster and more thoroughly if I am left alone to inspect. If they want to be in my back pocket the entire inspection I can accommodate that too but I figure it adds about an hour since I tend to talk and get caught up explaining minutia. If they are way late for the wrap up, they get an abbreviated version. I'm all for accommodating my clients but there are limits especially if they don't respect me enough to be there on time or at least make an effort.

I'm not sure a better grounding electrode system would have saved the girl. I would think the breaker on the power line would have to trip to do that which is kind of the point with providing the ground path back to the transformer. A better question in this case might be "why was a power line over the pool?"

Looks like the a/c condensate drain is connected directly to the furnace vent condensate which could put combustion fumes back into the interior air stream. I would like to see the installation diagrams as well as some different angles.

Way too many when I store them but then you get "the call" claiming you did or did not do something and it is worth every penny. Sometimes I wish I had more, especially wide shots. 200-300 is average with lots more on a big or complex inspection.